Oil-cup for steam-engines



(No Model.) J. E. LONERGAN.

Y OIL CUP FOR STEAM ENGINES. v No. 256,229, I Patented Apr. 11,1882.

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N mm WW D c j V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. LONERGAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

OIL-CUP FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,229, dated April 11, 1882.

Application filed July '28, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN E. LONERGAN, of the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Cups for Steam-Engine and other Bearings; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawing, making part hereof.

The nature of my invention will be fully set forth in the following description and claims.

The drawing represents a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of my device.

A is the oil cup or reservoir, made preferably of glass. B is a cap to the same; 0, a hollow stem or cylinder, terminating below in a valve-opening; D, a block forming part of said hollow stem, between the top of which block and the reservoir is a packing-ring, E.

F is a loose spindle or rod, terminating below in a conical tube, G, which fills the valveopening. It has a flanged head, H, at its up 'per end, against the under surface of which the spiral spring I impinges to throw up the rod and close the valve (which I shall call valve G) when the rod is not under pressure. The tubeG and the valve-opening together form the valve, the opening and closing of which permit or check and regulate the flow ofoi]. The rod F is loose. J is a hollow plug, screw-threaded outwardly, and screws into the middle of the cap of the reservoir. The lower part of this plug is solid, with the exception of a hole in the middle, through which passes the plunger K. This plunger K terminates below in a head, the flanges of which form a seat when brought into contact with the; lower surface of plug J, forming in fact a va "e.

J isathumb-wheel rigidlysetupon plug J-- in fact being of one piece therewith-whereby the plug J is turned or unscrewed when it is desired to remove said plug to replenish the oil in the cup.

L is a spiral spring to throw back the plunger after it has been pressed down.

N and O are packing-rings.

P is an open or transparent chamber.

Q is a strainer to retain the impurities of (No model.)

F will be forced down correspondingly. Now, when a certain flow of oil is necessary, the setscrew Sis loosened, and the plug J is screwed .down until the valve G is just sofar opened that the desired feed is obtained. The lockout T is then screwed down closely against the cap B, the plug J being held stationary meantime. The set-screw- S is then tightened up. Whatever feed is thus attained is permanent until the lock-nut is again moved on the p a When it is desired to refill the reservoir with oil it is simply necessary to unscrew the plug J, which will leave an opening at the top, into which the oil can be poured in the reservoir. The small openings V V, through which it passes into the cup, are in the short screwthreaded cylinder, into which the hollow stem 0 is screwed. The lock-nut T being set rigidly on the plug J by means of its set-screw S, is removed with the plug when the latter is taken out, and is a gage upon the plug, indicating how far to screw the latter in when the latter is again inserted. In fact it will prevent it being screwed in so far as to disturb the former feed.

In case during the operation of an engine drawing, is screwed into the bearing to which through its sides. The oil comes down in a hollow tube, G, and drops from the end thereof, as shown at W. This tube, as there shown, is too large in proportion to the drop, which is intended to about fill it. The sides of this chamber can be of glass, or they can be left open. 7

It will be observed when the plug J is re moved for the purpose of replenishing the cup with oil all pressure is removed from the top of the rod F. The spiral spring I is thus allowed to operate to throw up this rod, and the valve G is thus tightly closed, preventing any waste of the oil during the process of filling the cup. I may vary the form of the lock-nut T, as thetendency of its set-screw S is to upset the thread of the screw. There are many forms in common use which can be adopted for this purpose. The screw-threaded shank shown at the bottom of my device in the the cup is to be applied. The upper and lower parts of stem 0 serve to guide the movement of rod F in a true vertical line upward and downward.

What I claim as new is 1. In an oil-cup, the combination of valve G, rod F, spring I, and screw-plug J, the latter I being provided with a locking device, T, set thereupon, said plug causing plungerK to impinge below upon the top of the valve-rod F, whereby the flow of oil can be regulated and set, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In an oil-cup, the combination of valve G, loose rod F, spring I, the latter resting upon a bearing, plunger K, and spring L, resting upon a base or support, J, whereby a sudden blow upon said plunger will momentarily increase the flow of oil beyond the regular flow, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In an oil-cup, the combination of screw plug J, lock-nut '1, forming a regulating device with the stem and valve, and situated above the cap of the oil-cup, with the transparent or open chamber P, situated below the oil-cup, whereby the feed can be observed in the lower chamber and instantly regulated or altered from above without taking any of the devices apart, substantially as and for the purposes described.

JOHN E. LONERGAN.

Witnesses WM. H. OARsoN, JNo. A. STEWARD. 

